'Teasing Georgia' on Fortuniana rootstock as a Tampa pillar rose.

What a beauty!!! John

http://www.helpmefind.com/gardening/l.php?l=2.18152&tab=1

Buds on my 'Newport Fairy' rambler!!

My rambler 'Newport Fairy' is easily 5-6 years old, was featured in my 'Fine Gardening' article about training pillar roses up rebar back then...super vigorous growth despite years of drought but has RARELY bloomed, and then just a mere handful. But this morning I checked the new laterals coming off of the main canes and there are quite a few buds! I am guessing because of the cold El Nino winter it finally got the dormancy it has needed all along. I figure I will know in 10 days or so if a LOT of buds and blooms will be on it for its first ever decent display......I sure hope so! Pics for sure if it looks lovely. I fell in love with Bill Grant's tree-consuming specimen when I visited him in Aptos, California some years back, and both he and Fred Boutin felt that because of the parentage it might be a reasonable long shot gamble to try here in Tampa despite our usual lack of winter dormancy. So I bought this plant from Joyce Demitts. John

http://www.helpmefind.com/gardening/l.php?l=2.4471&tab=1

'Teasing Georgia' rose pillar on YouTube.

Enjoy. John

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXolMUwR5-8

Video Tour of Soon-To-Be Brand New Front Yard Roses Garden

Enjoy! John

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4Cb5bsYxj4

A Seedling of Mine I Find Promising

I did not breed this rose, just selected it from open pollinated seedlings from seeds from an open pollinated seedling of the rambler 'Francis E. Lester'. It is remontant, fast growing, and has a potent sharp/sweet Multiflora scent that reminds me of both 'Seagull' and 'Bobbie James'. It appears to be a Polyantha type shrub rose that reminds me somewhat of 'Gourmet Popcorn' though it has a VERY faint touch of pink to it. I like the idea of crossing it with Teas plus 'Oklahoma', "Fairmount Red" plus some English Roses like 'Abraham Darby' and 'Heritage'. It sure is a cute little bugger! John

Thank You Antique Rose Emporium!

Thanks to Mike Shoup, owner of this fine own root Old Roses grower, today the UPS man brought me these four roses to test in my Water Wise Container Gardens that are some reason not only allowing me to grow "Florida Roses" (Teas, Chinas and Noisettes) despite years of drought and severe water restrictions, but also "Denver Roses" that supposedly require full winter dormancy and hence are never seen in Florida, to my knowledge. I am psyched to trial these roses in 18 gallon Water Wise Container Gardens in my front gardens I am now wresting control of after the rose 'Mermaid' became a MONSTER that consumed my front yard and kept me out of it for over one year. This area faces north and so will be spared Tampa's harsh south winter sun while gaining the benefit of any North Winds I get here. Here are the roses that Mike Shoup and The Antique Rose Emporium donated to my efforts today. This will be fun! John

Baronne Prevost
"Moroccan Rose"
Reine des Violettes
"Nacogdoches"

"Magic 8" Allergy Tea

I discovered this remarkably effective herbal tea treatment for allergies in the spring of 2003...fifteen years in Denver had wiped out my immunity to Tampa's infamous spring oak pollen that literally coats cars etc. with a yellow visible film.....my allergy reaction was debilitating. Claritan and all those make me feel creepy, plus I believe in addressing root causes. This tea has no ephedra or other symptoms maskers...it seems to go right to the heart of the problem. One tea bag per WEEK for three weeks "fixed" my oak allergy....now I get just a slight touch of sneezes then that stops. Last spring, Sweety, like many Tampa dogs, reacted both with respiratory issues plus a heart-breaking skin inflammation that led to hot spots. But just one cup of the tea from one tea bag, mixed into her daily high fiber stew, weekly for three weeks, also "fixed" her. I have turned many Tampa friends onto it for them and their dogs and they too are walking commercials for it. I find the listing of herbs on the box intriguing. I get 24 tea bags for $4.99 at the "Oceanic Market" (a huge Chinese market with a loyal following) in downtown Tampa. But I am guessing other Asian stores would carry it, plus maybe one can buy it on-line. So if you are enduring "allergy hell" I enthusiastically suggest you give it a try! John